Dear SMU community, It is with high hopes that we enter 2021 expecting to move toward a primarily in-person fall semester at SMU. With the understanding that vaccinations for COVID-19 will be offered widely this spring, including on our own campus, we are planning to return to regular on-campus courses and activities by fall. It […]
January 8, 2021 Dear SMU Community, SMU has received approval from the state to be a COVID-19 vaccination provider for the campus community. Initial supplies allocated to our campus have not arrived yet but are expected in the near future. The Dr. Bob Smith Health Center will administer the vaccine in phases according to the […]
Dear SMU Community, SMU is pleased to announce that the Dr. Bob Smith Health Center will be a provider of the COVID-19 vaccination for the campus community. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently approved an emergency authorization for a vaccine developed by Pfizer/BioNTech. The Texas Department of State Health Services will be laying out […]
Dear SMU Community, We hope you had a safe and restful holiday and are recharged to finish the fall semester strong. As we prepare for winter break, planning for next semester is well underway. We learned a great deal over the past eight months about how to keep teaching, working, living and interacting on campus […]
A major challenge to stopping the spread of COVID-19 is a lack of information. You can help change that by participating in the DFW COVID-19 Prevalence Study. The results of this important study will be used to develop ways to reduce COVID-19 infections. SMU is partnering with UT Southwestern and Texas Health Resources on this […]
Friday, November 13, 2020 Dear SMU Students, As you get ready to leave campus for Thanksgiving, it’s important to recognize the potential risks associated with going home to family members who may be vulnerable to viral spread. Your best defense is to wear a face mask to reduce the chance of catching or spreading COVID-19, […]
November 2, 2020 Dear SMU Faculty and Staff, We are heading into the home stretch of a successful fall semester, thanks to you and your tremendous dedication and support. I am grateful for your continued commitment and resilience in the face of this pandemic. It was through research, planning and implementation of campuswide operational changes […]
Dear Students, I hope this message finds you well as we approach the last few weeks of the semester. Certainly, this has been a fall like no other, and I think we all have a new appreciation for academic experiences, time with friends, and sporting events on the Hilltop. Most of you have worked hard […]
October 22, 2020 Dear SMU Community,It is encouraging to see the stamina, resilience and determination of our Mustang community in handling the challenges of this pandemic. It is with that same diligence that we’ll tackle 2021. What we are doing this fall is working. After cases peaked in September, they fell and remain steady. Conducting […]
October 14, 2020 Dear SMU Community, Fall 2020 has been a semester like none other. After months of planning, preparation and adjustments, we are now halfway through this term. You’ve done a great job of working together to maintain a healthy environment, and it is reassuring to see the downward trend in COVID-19 cases on […]
October 8, 2020 Dear SMU Faculty and Staff, As we’ve settled into the semester and started to plan for our next one, it’s promising to see the numbers of COVID-19 cases on campus diminish. Thank you all for working tirelessly to make the fall semester as safe as it can be. We continue to respond to […]
Minimizing your chances of contracting influenza this year is one of the most important steps you can take to stay healthy and help prevent our community’s COVID-19 medical resources from becoming depleted. Students, getting your flu shots has never been more important. SMU is providing students with on-campus flu vaccinations for free while supplies last. […]
Since we began welcoming our students back in mid-August, we have learned a great deal about how to manage the campus through the pandemic. Some of our early expectations have changed based on experience; therefore, it is time to use the latest information to make adjustments in the metrics we use to provide the most […]
Dear SMU Community, Every week, our Emergency Operations Center group and the president’s leadership team review a number of data points regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the SMU campus, then update the University’s operational level. This week, we are increasing the overall operational level from “moderate” to “high” to reflect the number […]
September 4, 2020 Dear SMU Student, With two weeks of the fall semester successfully behind us, I would want to recognize our SMU students, faculty and staff for your efforts to adapt to learning, living and working on campus during this pandemic. As we anticipated, we are seeing a rise in COVID-19 cases as well […]
14 August 2020 Dear Mustang Parents and Family Members, Hello from the Hilltop! I hope this message finds you and your loved ones doing well. I imagine you are making final preparations for your student’s return to Dallas and SMU, and we are excited to welcome them back. As I have shared with you previously, […]
As we prepare to welcome our students back for the upcoming semester, SMU’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) team has finalized and posted the Fall 2020 Operations Plan, designed to ensure the safety of our campus and minimize the spread of COVID-19. This plan formally outlines the many strategies and changes that we have already implemented and communicated in virtual town […]
Dear SMU Faculty and Staff, Following the guidance of Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s latest executive order to prevent the spread of COVID-19, SMU will extend its “essential personnel only” status through April 30, allowing most of our faculty and staff to continue working remotely. We miss seeing all of you on campus, but I […]
Dear SMU Community, Each day we evaluate the challenging issues created by COVID-19 and work diligently to make the best possible decisions for all of us. To align with declarations from federal, state and Dallas County health authorities, SMU is moving all classes online for the remainder of the spring semester. We also are reducing […]
Dear faculty and staff, In consultation with the President’s Executive Council, I have decided to move the University to “reduced operations” status until April 6 to responsibly care for our campus population in response to the spread of COVID-19. We will monitor developments in the days ahead and will revisit the possible extension of this […]
Southern Methodist University will not implement the payroll tax deferment program announced by Presidential Memorandum on August 8, 2020. The executive action is optional, allowing employers to postpone the collection of payroll taxes, specifically an employee’s portion of Social Security taxes, for affected employees. The action applies to wages paid to affected employees beginning on […]
SMU is offering two new digital tools to help monitor your health and protect the campus community: a daily COVID-19 symptom checker and a contact tracing log. Daily checks for virus symptoms and support of contact tracing are two important safety measures emphasized in SMU’s Pledge to Protect. The Mustang Daily Symptom Checker is a […]
Dear SMU Students: As new and returning students move into their Residential Commons or apartments this week, we must reemphasize how crucial it is for each member of the SMU community to take individual responsibility for our ability to complete and enjoy the fall semester on campus. As you have surely read or heard, several […]
August 19, 2020 As the University prepares for the start of the fall semester on Monday, August 24, please see the following updates for the SMU campus community. No-cost, rapid curbside COVID-19 testing for employees is now available at Expressway Tower SMU employees and families can now receive no-cost, rapid drive-through testing for COVID-19 at […]
Dear Faculty and Staff, As we prepare to welcome students and parents to campus, we invite you to a virtual town hall to address issues and questions as we begin our upcoming fall semester. Date: Thursday, August 20, 2020 Time: 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Who: Hosted by President R. Gerald Turner who will […]
Dear SMU Faculty and Staff, It is exciting to see students return for our Fall 2020 opening. Thank you for everything you have done to prepare for their arrival. We will continue to monitor the pandemic to ensure we can move forward in a healthy and safe manner. I’d like to share a few updates […]
Hello, Mustang! As we prepare to return to campus for the fall semester, it is of the highest importance that all SMU students educate themselves on the ongoing COVID-19 situation and the updated policies and procedures at SMU. To accomplish this, all SMU students will be required to complete the Returning to Campus: COVID-19 Student Training Course through their […]
August 26 Update: With several school districts, including Dallas ISD, recently moving to extend on-line virtual ONLY learning until later in the year, we wanted to provide an update on options for employees as you navigate the ever-changing environment created by the pandemic. SMU will continue to offer flexibility and options to support parents with […]
No cost test with same day results available at nine DFW locations SMU is now offering a fast and convenient option for COVID-19 testing with same day results for employees and their families. The University will cover 100 percent of the cost, and no insurance paperwork is needed for those who have SMU health benefits. […]
Dear SMU Community, It cannot be said too often that the health and well-being of our faculty and staff are of vital importance to me and to the University we serve. We value your work, your sense of mission, and the individual talents you bring to the table. As we complete the first cycle of […]
SMU Air Quality Improvement Strategy SMU Facilities Planning and Management is upgrading all air filters in air handler units across campus, as a strategy to improve air quality in all University buildings. All air filters will be updated from the current MERV 10 level to the highest rated filtration level effective for SMU’s air handler […]
Faculty authorized to require students to wear face coverings in fall classrooms SMU is requiring that everyone on the SMU campus wear a face covering over the mouth and nose in all public indoor spaces. This requirement includes classrooms; building entrances and exits; lobbies and lounges; as well as in hallways, stairwells, restrooms and elevators and also […]
Dear SMU Community, Last spring, SMU sent an emergency notification to all students, faculty and staff about the first confirmed COVID-19 cases involving our campus community. This was an important step in informing our campus about this rapidly evolving situation. As we begin to identify additional cases, we wanted to be sure the campus community […]
Dear SMU students, parents, faculty and staff, Those of us who have been planning for our students’ return to campus are pleased to share with you the road map for our fall semester on the Hilltop. While you can expect more communications on a variety of topics as we work through the summer months, this […]
Dear SMU Community, Preparing for the return of our students during the pandemic will require creativity, commitment and cooperation. Our plans for reopening the campus to students in the fall for student instruction, campus life and community programs are progressing well, and I am especially looking forward to welcoming our students back to our Dallas […]
Dear SMU faculty and staff, You have received quite a few messages from me over the past few months, but this is one I have been eager to deliver: I am delighted to welcome our full University workforce back to campus on Monday, June 1. I know how hard you have worked from home, and […]
Dear colleagues, President Turner is preparing to update the SMU community on Monday June 1 about our planning for the fall semester. We expect it to include information such as modality for course delivery, any adjustments to the academic calendar, initial plans for residential and dining facilities, enhanced cleaning of high-traffic areas, testing capabilities and […]
Dear Faculty, Staff and Students, In spite of the rain, I hope you saw on Saturday the lights on Reunion Tower spell out SMU in honor of our 2020 graduates. Now it’s time to look to the fall as we welcome back those who started working on campus this week! I have enjoyed seeing more […]
Dear SMU faculty and staff, We are looking forward to your return to the Hilltop. You have demonstrated flexibility, creativity and remarkable good humor in keeping the University on course during these trying times, and those traits will serve us well as we return to campus and prepare to welcome our students back. Some of […]
May 15, 2020 Dear Students, Faculty and Staff: SMU, including its campus in Taos, is expecting to offer a combination of in-person and online classes for Summer Session II, commonly referred to as July term. We will continue to monitor and adjust as evolving guidelines emerge from Dallas County and the Texas governor. You may […]
Dear SMU Faculty, Staff and Students, Congratulations to the 2,634 graduating students who will receive their SMU degrees on Saturday, May 16. Here we go Mustangs is just one small way we honor our graduating students’ accomplishments. Also, keep your eyes on the Dallas skyline this Saturday night when Reunion Tower will light up with a special […]
Dear SMU Faculty, Staff and Students, Spring is the time we honor our students for outstanding academic, leadership and service achievements. In spite of distance, students have been initiated into honor societies, recognized for their research and honored for their contributions to the community. The work of the University continues, as evidenced by these fruits […]
Dear SMU Faculty, Staff and Students,After six weeks of online classes and stay-at-home orders, I continue to be proud of the many ways the SMU community is demonstrating innovation amid dramatic changes brought by COVID-19. By now you may have seen our plans to continue to have a majority of campus employees remain working from home […]
Dear SMU Community, It’s time to look to the future. I am pleased to announce that SMU intends to safely open our University for on-campus teaching, learning and student living for the fall semester. We are looking forward to delivering the unique academic experience that defines SMU, and to rekindling the energy our students bring […]
SMU is committed to reopening the campus as quickly as possible, while protecting the health of our University community and allowing for safe learning, working, living and socializing. To that end, SMU must have data-informed policies and procedures in place as early as midsummer that leverage the best available testing and/or screening for COVID-19, along […]
Dear Campus Community, Anyone walking across our beautiful campus is struck by how quiet it is. What is not visible is the increased activity behind the scenes as we work to educate our students online while adapting to the serious challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic. Across the country, many families and individuals are facing […]
Dear Mustang Family: The global spread of COVID-19 is affecting all of us – the way we learn, live, work and play. I wanted to update you on how we continue to approach this situation at SMU. First, we hope that you and your families remain safe and healthy. Our hearts go out to those […]
Dear SMU Faculty, Staff and Students, Thank you again for working so hard to maintain SMU’s vibrancy and operations during this unique time. Members of our SMU community continue to show creativity and innovation in their teaching, learning and working as we face the challenges of COVID-19. In addition to making the most of online […]
Dear student, We miss you and the buzz of activity you bring to our beautiful campus. I hope you and your family are staying healthy and your studies are going well during this time. The resilience and flexibility you are showing during the COVID-19 pandemic reflect the strength and character of our student body. Thank […]
